-
How To Convert French Threaded Cranks To British Pedal Threads (With Cheap DIY Tools)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends I have an old Gitane road bike from the 70s. It’s not one of the high-end models, but it has some nice components, and I’ve used it as a donor bike for another build. One of the parts that I like are the Solida Cranks. Solida Cranks were not high-end,…
-
Don’t Overthink Cruiser Tires
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Yesterday a dude came in with some cruiser bike from the previous century and asked me for “special tires”. I required further clarification, and he told me that a friend of his (probably some guy on reddit) had told him that cruisers need ultra-special tires. That ain’t really true. Cruiser…
-
When you want to “mute” the wind…
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends It’s time for another cycling post. The topic of today is slightly unexpected, but since autumn is approaching…I can tell you that you won’t regret paying attention. So, let’s talk about…the wind. When it’s windy outside, and I am on my trusty retro road bike, I can’t help but notice…
-
As a biker, I hate crushed limestone
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends The other day I decided to try a new commute path. You have to try new things in life, right? Otherwise, you risk staying the same for way too long. Well, sometimes those new things aren’t all that exciting. A large section of my new route ended up being crushed…
-
Bike Theory For Dummies: Aggressive Handlebars Battle (part 1)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends What’s up? In this episode of Bike Theory For Dummies (BTFD), I will compare the two most common handlebars from the “agressive category”, namely bullhorns (BHs) and drop bars (DBs). Upfront, I’ll tell you that I prefer BHs for “aggressive commuters” and DBs for racing. Let’s go. Hand Positions Standard…
-
Don’t Convert TT Bikes (keep their soul)
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends Today is a big day for me. I am quitting my warehouse job and plan to work as a full-time bike mechanic after my 30 day notice. Yes, that’s right. I gotta be honest. I won’t miss the scent of cardboard and machinery inside my lungs. But I will miss…
-
When The Asymmetry Of Panniers Creates Issues…
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends I have a confession to make. I don’t like panniers for day-to-day commuting. I couldn’t care less what others think. This issue? Well, they are just too damn….big and very often you end with asymmetrical load that messes with your bike’s handling. When you put one pannier on a bike…
-
Why I Like Seat Post Shims (+ a hack)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends It’s been a rough day, but somehow I managed to get back home fairly early. This gives me the privilege to write another informative post for your favorite (hopefully) site known as rookie journal. Today, I will tell you why I am a fan of a little accessory known as…
-
A Big Rookie Mistake When It Comes To Rim Brakes
from Rookie’s Keyboard Hello, friends Today, I saw something I never though I will. A customer came to bike shop asking why his rear brake is “so weak and weird”. One look is all I needed to identify a major rookie mistake. The issue was that the had a V-brake at the back coupled with…
-
Bike Theory For Dummies: Know Your Brake Pads
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Ok. It’s time for another educational post in my lunch break. This time I will share with you an important distinction that you have to make when it comes to V-brakes and cantilevers. To the untrained eye, both types look similar. That’s not surprising. After all, they are both rim…